Lubricating apparatus



June 20, 1944. w. H. BERETISH ET AL LUBRICATING APPARATUS Filed OCb. 10, 1941 f .l wl 14. w will."

Patented June 20, 1944 2,351,909 LUBRIOATING APPARATUS William H. Beretish and Thomas Arthur Campbell, Chicago, Ill., assignors to Stewart-Warner Corporation,Y VChicago, Ill., a corporationn ci' Virginia Application October 10, 1941, Serial No. 414,424

4 Claims.

Our invention relates generally to lubricating apparatus, and more particularly to ttings and apparatus for the pressure lubrication of sealed bearings, p

It is an object of our invention to provide an improved lubricating apparatus for the pressure lubrication of sealed bearings, such as, for eX- ample, the track roller bearings of endless track tanks and tractors,

A further object of our invention is to provide an improved lubricant receiving fitting having incorporated therein a safety valve for venting the bearing to prevent the development of excessive pressures therein.

A further object of our invention is to provide an improved lubricant receiving tting having a portion adapted to be engaged by a coupler and in which said portion is rotatable with respect to the remainder of the tting to prevent accidental unscrewing of the fitting from the bearing. A further object is to provide an improved lubrcant receiving fitting having means to limit the rate at which lubricant may be supplied to a bearing. l

A further object is to provide an improved lubricant receiving fitting and apparatus for the lubrication of sealed bearings, which is simple in construction, may be easily used, and which may be economically manufactured.

Other objects will appear from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary central vertical sectional view of a track roller bearing and spindle assembly incorporating the improved lubrieating apparatus of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the lubricant receiving fitting drawn to an enlarged scale; and,

Figs. 3 and 4 are transverse sectional views taken on the lines 3-3 and 4-4 of Fig. 2,l said figures being at a slightly reduced scale with re-` spect to that of Fig. 2.

Considerable difoulty has been experienced in the adequate lubrication of the bearings of track rollers as used on vehicles propelled by endless tracks, such as tanks and tractors, These bearings are provided with oil seals to prevent the admission of water and other foreign matter in-` to the bearing. Due to the provision of these oil seals, it is diicult, by ordinary methods of lubricaon, to force grease into the bearing without damaging the oil seal. Furthermore, such bearings are subjected to severe usage, so that it is of great importance that the old` lubricant in i the bearing in which the lubricating qualities have deteriorated, be forced from the bearing and replaced with fresh lubricant.

`In the construction disclosed herein, the bearings are so arranged that the oil flows through them in more or less predetermined paths so that when fresh lubricant is forced under pressure into one portion of the bearing, it flows through the bearing along such predetermined paths, ejecting the used lubricant from the bearing structure.

More particularly, as shown in Figure 1, the bearing structure comprises a spindle or axle lil upon which a track roller I2 is mounted for free rotation. The spindle lil has a central enlarged diameter portion I4 serving as part of a thrust bearing to maintain the track roller l2 in proper position longitudinally on the spindle I The track roller carries a pair of bearing liners I6 having flanges I8 secured to the track roller l2 by cap screws 23. Flanged bearing bushings 22 are fitted Within the liners I6, .being preferably made of bronze or other suitable bearing material and formingcylindrical bearing surfaces 24 and thrust bearing surfaces 26. The cap screws 20 also hold in place a retaining collar 30 for a suitable oil seal assembly 32. This oil seal assembly may be of any suitable construction which is effective to form a waterand lubricant-tight seal around the spindle I0. An annular gasket 34 forms a seal against which the housing of the oil seal assembly 32 is pressed.

The bearing liners I6 are provided with a plurality of separated pockets 36 for retaining lubricant, these pockets being in communication with an annular space 33 surrounding the enlarged portion I4 of the spindle through relatively small clearance passageways 40. The pockets 36 are provided with countersunk ports 42 which arein alignment with ports 44 formed in the bearing bushings 22. The bearing bushings preferably havean annular groove 46 connecting the ports 44. 'Ifhe lubricant is supplied to a central drilled passageway 50 and ows therefrom through a duct 52 to a longitudinal groove 54 formed in the external surface of the cylindrical portion of the spindle l0. From the groove 54, the lubricant may now to the pockets 36 through annular groove 46 and ports 44 and 42, or may oW through an annular passageway 56 to the thrust bearing surface 25. The surface of the latter may be relieved by a lubricant distributing groove y58 which communicates with the space 38. Lubricant from the space 38 may now through that previously described and'through which the indicated by the arrows@ From the foregoing, it

lubricant will flow in the same ,general manner as long and restricted lubricant feed tube 82 which has a sliding t in the drilled passageway 50;. 1f

The diameter of `the passageway through. thek tube 82'is so small that'even if lubricantfissupplied under relatively high pressure, Vthe owwill be restricted sufciently `that excessive pressures will notfbe built up within the'bearing structure. The Vtubef82 is secured vin a coref84which Ais mounted for sliding'movement in the tting body` 86, being normally heldin! the position shown inv thedrawing by a compression coil spring 88, the

ends `of which abut against shoulders 90 rformed on-A the core 84 ,and shoulders 96 extendinginwardly from the body 86. The core 84 .is provided with a plurality of grooves 98 fortheflow. of lubricant from the bore 62 to the spaceil00 between .the core 84 and the bodyl.` Similarly, the body 86Vis provided with a plurality of grooves |02to permit flow of lubricant from the space toward the V.outer end of the body 86, .the

extremity of which forms a valve seat |04.v A fittingshank |08 is' secured to the corez84, as bya press iit overV a knurled end portion |08 of the .core 84; this. shank having abuttonhead ||0 for engagement with the coupler 'of fa pressure lubricatingpsystem, vwhich may.be,.oi`.any suitable construction, preferably having accu-1 plerV of the general `type disclosed in the patent to A'Ernest W..Davis, No. 1,541,329. The shankl 0|;f isprovided witha valve forming flange ll2hav.-` inguangannular gasket-lill` for engagement with ,the ,Valve ,seating surface 04 at theextrernityr` of` thebody- VJ YWithin the shank |06is1a check valve ||6held in positionto close an opening |18 formedsin the button head by a compressionspringlZ. f'h@A .Check valve l |6 f is.. pr0Videdwth suitable cross passasewavs, as ,indoatedauFia @tenere mit free liiow ofv lubrioantptoward the ,.cente r of the spring |21)` when the latter ,is in kfullycornpressed position so that the lubricant mayflow through a Central passageway |22HV formed ifi-the. core lill,l and hence through thebore .of` the tube 82.

asu'itab'le source of lubricant under pressureis connected te tne'buttonj hadglrojbyzfa suitabie c detachable coupler, the lubricant pressure will 'the bearing through the passagewayll'and'bore V 62 to the lubricant receiving fitting 80.` The old -luloricantwillr then flow through the'passageways Y -98"in the core 84,-through Vvthe-space*|00 `and will be seen that lubricant supplied to the central passageway 50 may;v flow to the cylindrical and thrust bearing surfaces to the annular space 58 and fromthence Y through the passageway 60 A,to the bore 82..,In 4 I order to provide for such lubricantflow'- a lu?.V bricant receiving fitting, designated generally byv the vreference character 80, is threaded in the outer end of the spindle I0 and has a relatively t a passageway G0 to a central bore 62 formed in;l

through the ports |02. As soon as `pressure Within the bearing is built up, it will be exerted upon the eiectivefarea of the core 84 and gasket Il4 to move the core 84 to the left, thus moving the gasket H4 Aaway from the seat |04 and permitting the discharge of the used lubricant between the valve portion ||2 of the sleeve or shank |06 and the b ocl'yffv of the ii'tting, 'I'lfiefresistance to leftward movement of the core 84 afforded by the spring is suicient to assure building up `"a very slight pressure within the bearing structure and isinsuffcient to permit building up a pressurev high enough to cause leakage past the `oil seal assemblyz or to cause damage to the .latteiz The leftward movement ofthe core 84 thus in effect forms asafetyW valve vent for the bearing structure to prevent buliding up excessive --pressures in the bearing and to provide a vent for-the discharge from the bearing of the used lubricant. Y @-Thetube 82, previously stated, is 'slidable in theVv passageway'," preferably having a Vvery slightclearancejsuch as .005"gso that substantially the onlyresistance to leftward movement of the-'Tcore 84 and V'tube 82 is lthataforded by the compression ofthe spring 88,`whic'hpm`ay be accurately'f'predetermined i Furthermore; the button head ||0 and itssleeve shank |06, together with the connected core 84 and tube'f'82, are f reelyV rotatable. Thus, if,vv when thev coupler is rigidly clamped to4 'the' button'head |0,' and is swung ,counterclockwise invv a', directionwhich'would tend to unscrew th'eltting body -86 from the spindle l0, such unscrewing does not take lplacebeoause 'ffthe `freely"swivelin'g action between the" butt'onfvhead ||0 and the'body 86."

Itwill I'e noted `thai-,the aggregate cross-sectional ,areas of the passageways permitting discharge ofthey lubricant'from the annular'space 38 arepeach`- greater V`than thefcross-'sectional area of the passageways through whichtheffresh lubricantis supplied'to the'bearing.' Forithis reason,v

the pressure within the bearing structure cannot be built lup very much above atmospheric pres- 'surejfsincefthe ,ow'from the bearing structure to "the vatrio'sphere through these discharge passageways andfpast the'check valve |04 ,`||2, lI |41,

y isrelatively free. y K K `While we have shown and described :particu-'- lar embodiments of oui-invention; itwill bef'apparent* to'Y those skilled in the art that numerous Y. modifications and variations may be made "with`` out-departing from theunderlying principlesjof they*invention'.` ,We therefore desire, by the fols lowing claims',v touincludewithin Vthe scope of dur invention, Vall such variations" and modifications by: which substantially the'results of' our'jinventio'n 'may be obtaine'dby the use of substantially hesame or equivalent means. 4, f we,eiaimfyl f 1. `I n-a lub tion of 'a s'ealed'bearing structure, a lubricant-inlet passageway in saidV bearing structureA leading to the'bearing surfaces andajlubricant discharge passageway i "leading therefrom, a` lubricant .'re ceiving `tting having .a Yrelatively movable head and body cooperating to forma check valve; said head having apart conformed -for detachable Y t connection with asource of lubricant under pres- 7o sure,'an extensible conduit connectionv between said" head and said lubricant inlet passageway, and'rneans to conduct lubricant from said dis'- charge -passageway to theV check valve forming parts of fsavidr" head and liitting to cause; relative movement ofthe' latter tovaiv'e4 yopening 'position' upon the generation of a predetermined pressure in said lubricant discharge passageway.

2. In a lubricating apparatus for the lubrication of a sealed bearing structure, a lubricant inlet passageway in said bearing structure leading to the bearing surfaces and a lubricant discharge passageway leading therefrom, a lubricant receiving fitting having an apertured lubricant receiving head, conduit means connecting said head to said inlet passageway, said conduit being constructed to permit movement of said fitting head with respect to the bearing structure, a tting body secured to the bearing structure, cooperable valve means on said fitting head and body, resilient means to hold said valve means closed, and means for conducting lubricant from said discharge passageway to said valve means for escape therethrough whenever the pressure of the lubricant in said discharge passageway exceeds a predetermined maximum value.

3. A lubricant receiving tting for a part to be lubricated having a lubricant inlet passageway and a lubricant discharge passageway comprising a generally tubular body having means for securing it to a part to be supplied with lubricant at the end of a lubricant discharge passageway of the latter, a head for attachment to a source of lubricant pressure and having a lubricant receiving opening therein, resilient means to hold said head against the end of said body to form a check valve closure therefor, and conduit means connecting the lubricant receiving opening in said head with the lubricant inlet passageway in the part to be supplied with lubricant, said conduit means being extensible to permit movement of said head away from the end of said body, thereby to permit escape of lubricant from said discharge passageway when the lubricant pressure therein exceeds a predetermined value.

4. A lubricant receiving tting comprising a generally tubular body constructed for attachment to a part to be supplied with lubricant, said body having a valve seat formed at its outer end, an apertured headhaving means for attachment to a source of lubricant under pressure and having a valve portion cooperable with said valve seat, a conduit secured to said head and communicating with the aperture therein, said conduit forming a lubricant inlet to the part to be supplied with lubricant, resilient means to hold said head in position with its valve portion in engagement with said valve seat, and discharge passageways in said head connecting said valve seat and the outlet of the part to be lubricated.

WILLIAM H. BERETISH. THOMAS ARTHUR CAMPBELL. 

